Bridle



Au 26,1941 w. A. BASS 'BRIDLE Filed novyls, 1945 INVENTOR. W21 Z'ei'ABass Patented Aug. 26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFICE .BRIDIZE.Walter..A.,.Bass, "Brundidge, .Ala. -'-Application November 13, 1945,-Serial No. 62.8;087

' (Cl..5 l- -;6)

This invention. relates :to' .brid-les, and is a continuation-rinepartof my application Serial No. 591,929, filed May 4, 1945.

It has for its object to provide a bridle or head stall for-horsesand-mules which is so formed andassembled with the usual or any desiredbit that stitching of the straps thatgo to make up the-bridle-is doneaway with, and the. entire assembly, insofar as head strap, cheekstraps, blinders,.and blinder or winderstraps-are .concerned, may beconveniently ,assembled and-adjusted .by the use of a single buckle oneach side of the bridle. With this .novel arrangement repairs andreplacements can be made without the necessity of the skilled labor ofthe harness maker, as anyone can assemble, disassemble, and replace wornparts by the simple expedient of unbuckling the bit ring engaging end ofthe bridle straps.

In the drawing herewith the bridle is illustrated in the singleperspective view.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, III indicates the head strapprovided with a front band II of not unusual shape, this front bandbeing preferably secured to the head strap by means of the thong I2passed through suitable openings in the double end I3 of the front band,the ends of the thong I2 preferably knotted and anchored at I4 in therosette l5. Fastening means other than the thong may, if desired, beused.

The usual throat latch I6 may be provided, and this throat latch will beformed by cutting a strip H from one end of the head strap I so that anintegral formation of head strap and throat latch is provided, one endof the throat latch I6 being preferably longer than the other end, andthe ends being joined by a buckle I8, as shown. This integralconstruction of head strap and throat latch does away with the necessityof fastening the parts together by stitching or riveting, as is nowcommon.

The cheek straps I9 are threaded through apertures 20 in the blinder.Four of these apertures are shown in the present instance, but it willbe understood that they may be of any desired or needed number. The endsof the straps I9 passing through the bit rings 2i engage a buckle 22which is held by a loop 23 of the head strap where it passes through theapertures 20 in the blinder.

The blinders 24 may be of any suitable shape and thickness, but it hasbeen found that with the construction here shown, leather or othermaterial of a thinner gauge can be used with good results, for thereason that the blinder is stiifened Claims.

:24 with the front .band

byits assembly wih the head st-rapends. It is preferably slitted or:notchedat :25 providing an open. slit in the 'top .edge of the blinderto receive the-front band II which tends to hold it in position. Thisslitted engagement of blinder ;II so positions and holds the :blinderthat .sitca-nnot flap and strike the eye of the animal, which wouldresult in discomfort toenol possible injury of the animals eye.

:The blinders :2 l:are provided with extended bit ring. engaging.endsfifi which are lapped inside the buckle engaging ends of the cheekstrap'ends I9, and engage the buckle 22 with which the cheek strap endsare engaged, this buckle serving to hold the assembled cheek strap endsand blinder strap ends together, the buckle being of sufiicient size totake the three plies of straps with which it is engaged. It will be seenthat the end 26 of the blinder strap takes the wear of the bit ring 2|and the double thicknesses of straps supporting the bit rings provide avery secure bit support. The blinders, it will be seen, extend upwardlysufliciently to engage the front band with their open slits 25. This notonly prevents,

as heretofore pointed out, the blinder from flapping and striking theanimals eye, but also positions the blinders so that the animal cannotlook backward over the top of the blinder, as frequently happens withthe usual bridle construction. This habit some times results in scaringthe animal and accidents occur.

The bridle may be readily and quickly converted to an open bridle, if itis desired to dispense with the blinders. All that is necessary toaccomplish this is to unbuckle the end straps from the buckle 22,unthread the cheek strap ends I9 from the apertures in the blinderthrough which they pass, and then re-engage the ends I9 of the cheekstrap with the buckle and provide an open bridle.

The advantages of this construction are that it is simple in its make-upand assembly. All of the parts may be quickly and readily cut fromordinary harness stock by following the simple pattern of the differentpieces. The individual pieces can be quickly assembled without 'thenecessity of stitching or riveting any of the parts together, it beingnecessary only to adjust the buckle which holds the parts together atthe proper point, after which the strap ends may be passed through thebit rings, coupled to the buckle and the bridle is complete. Theassembling of the head strap and the throat latch requires only thesimplest of operations, involving as it does, only the threading of thestraps through the parts. All stitching, as stated, is eliminated,resulting in a bridle of longer life, as stitching is quickly attackedand rotted by sweat and constant repair Work is necessary.

Such changes in details of construction as are within the skill of themechanic and the scope of the appended claims may, of course, be madeWithout departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. A bridle comprising a head strap, cheek straps extending from saidhead strap, blinders having strap openings through which the cheekstraps are threaded, bit ring engaging ends on said blinders, and abuckle mounted on each cheek strap to receive and hold the cheek strapand blinder strap bit ring engaging ends.

2. A bridle comprising a head strap, cheek straps extending from saidhead strap, blinders having strap openings through Which cheek strapends are threaded, integral throat latching ends extending from saidhead strap, bit ring engaging ends on said blinders, and a bucklemounted on each cheek strap to receive and hold the cheek strap andblinder strap bit ring engaging ends in adjusted positions.

3. A bridle comprisingv a head strap, cheek straps extending from saidhead strap, a front strap, blinders having strap openings through whichcheek strap ends are threaded and slitted at their tops to engage saidfront strap, integral throat latching ends extending from said headstrap, bit ring engaging ends on said blinders,

and a buckle mounted on each cheek strap to receive and hold the cheekstrap and blinder strap bit. ring engaging ends in adjusted positions.

4. A bridle comprising a head strap, cheek straps extending from saidhead strap, a front strap, blinders having strap openings through whichthe cheek straps are threaded, said blinders being slitted at theirupper ends to engage said front strap, bit ring engaging ends on saidblinders, and a buckle mounted on each cheek strap to receive and holdthe cheek strap and blinder strap bit engaging ends.

5. A bridle comprising a head strap, a front strap, cheek strapsextending from said head strap, blinders having slits in their upperends to engage said front strap, and bit engaging ends extending fromsaid blinders.

WALTER A. BASS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS of record in the

